June 22, 2012

Get Acne To Back Off!

You’re at a business meeting and all you can think of is how to scratch your back discreetly! Though not as embarrassing as face acne, back acne can be quite troublesome, especially once it begins to get itchy and sore. Back acne is more common among men than women; about 20% of all healthy adult males have some amount of back acne. However, back acne is not really a gender-specific condition as the main causes are hormonal changes and genetic factors.

Causes of Back Acne Back acne (Bacne) occurs when bacteria, dead skin cells and excess oil clog the hair follicles on the back. When the pores are blocked, your body’s natural oils start to accumulate within the pores and this causes pimples, blackheads, pustules, and cysts. The blockages are often caused by:

Use of certain medications

Chemicals/products that may come in contact with the skin

Pressure on the skin like rough back massages and weight lifting

Stress

Home Remedies and tips for Back acne
Back acne can be especially embarrassing at the beach where you can only wear t-shirts as opposed to vests and tank tops. While you may not be able to make your acne disappear, there are a few natural ways to get rid of back acne.

Scrub off the dead skin – Wash your back with warm water, make sure the water is not too hot, then gently massage an exfoliating scrub onto your back. Be careful not to rub the loofah harshly against your skin. You can even make a natural exfoliator at home with one grapefruit, ½ cup of white sugar, and ½ cup of sea salt. This exfoliating scrub is gentle on the skin and free from all artificial ingredients.

Steer clear of oil- based skin care products – Massage your back with oil-free moisturizers, cosmetics, and sunscreens. Read the product label and preferably pick up those marked non-comedogenic. If a product is non-comedogenic, it means that it will not block your pores and so it will prevent the outbreak of pimples. Also check if your product contains salicylic acid as it helps to keep the pores clean by shedding dead skin cells from within the follicles.

Be a stickler for general cleanliness – No, you cannot dig out the camisole you wore yesterday from your overstuffed laundry bag or that T-shirt you forgot to wash last week. The simplest way to avoid /get rid of back acne is to maintain general cleanliness. After your day’s workout session or the grueling football game, wash yourself off the sweat and dirt. If you let the sweat dry on your skin, it can clog the pores and worsen the acne condition. Wash your hair regularly with a good shampoo and conditioner.

Try a new look – Instead of skin fit jeans and tight tops, wear loose shirts and slack pants made of a soft material. Choose airy cotton clothing that does not irritate your skin.

Skip the backpack – Unless you have a doting partner to carry your backpack for you, avoid carrying it at all. We tend to get anxious about what we might need when we are at work and end up stuffing our bags with loads of unnecessary items. Heavy backpacks exert pressure on your back and can irritate your skin and cause acne breakouts.

In addition to using various over-the-counter medications, you can gently rub your skin with a slice of lemon or tomato. If your back acne worsens despite all your precautions and home remedies, you need to visit a dermatologist. Work towards the day when you can tear away your t-shirt and instead grab that trendy beach wear!

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